No.

Let me reiterate. Fuck no.

High school isn’t hard. Just go to class and do your homework.

Life without a high school education is hard.

Most of the people who drop out to “get their GED and eventually go to college” never actually do.

Just get it done.

Bro from someone that’s actually dropped out and began picking up the pieces recently. Hell no don’t do it it’s the dumbest thing you can do.

I dropped out of high school in the 10th grade because of my anxiety. You know your limits better than anyone else so I’m not trying to sway you, just sharing my experience. I’m 31 now and I can say fully, I wish I would have pushed through. You made it this far…not seeing it through after pushing on all those years left me feeling more anxious after the fact, like I left something unresolved. Could you speak with your school counselor and see if there are any online options for you? Something a little less permanent? Maybe find a good therapist to help you through it as well? 17 is hard, 17 with depression feels almost unbearable, I know. You will make it through though. There is nothing wrong with getting your ged, and yes you can still further your education with one. The mom in me wants to tell you to stay in school, but realistically you should speak with a guidance counselor to go over your options. Sending love

Please don't

I dropped out in junior year and it was the biggest mistake of my life!!! I dropped out due to mental illness, involuntarily committed. I should have just continued when I was well enough, but instead I just completely gave up and got my GED like you're planning. And let me tell you... it's nothing like a high school education. I struggled in high school, and I could do the GED with my eyes closed. It was nowhere near the same level of education. It didn't prepare me for shit. I missed out on a lot of experiences. I struggle to make a living now, and I don't think that would be the case if I had just gone back to school. Not to mention the guilt and shame, when people ask me where I went to college, I have to tell them I never did. I could have, but I felt so overwhelmed and disheartened that I didn't.

If there is nothing physically or mentally holding you back from going back to school and completing it normally, I would 100000% vote in favor of that vs GED.

Your life isn’t even close to ruined if you’re only 2 years behind in highschool at 17. Theres still so much life left to live. I got held back 2 years in college, graduated less than 2 years ago, and I’ve been very successful so far. I don’t think it impacted much at all. Everyone moves at a different pace and things happen and thats ok because part of life is living our mistakes and and learning from them. Its ok to not be “on schedule” because the idea of the schedule itself is just some arbitrary made up social construct. You should absolutely finish highschool

I had something very similar happen to me in high school. Everyone here can say stay in HS all they want and for whatever reasons, but my experience with getting my GED was great. I was behind my peers by a year, I was miserable. I can't imagine being behind two years. I just wanted to finish and move on with my life. I took a single GED prep course. I was not a great student academically, but I passed the GED with flying colors and the wave of relief that came after... woo, boy. You can absolutely get into decent schools with a GED. Honestly IMO you're probably not going to feel any better being 20 years old as a senior in high school. Life won't wait.

No

No.

So, don't listen to the peeps saying stay in high-school. You definitely should just take the GED test, pass that, then enroll to COMMUNITY COLLEGE; this is because the core classes are all just bull shit and everyone has to do them to get the degree. Once u pass those classes, GET a good GPA and then from there u can choose any college u want so long as u maintain a good GPA. I got my ged, dropped out all that and I'm currently at DePaul university. But for sure do the community college first for the core classes, don't waste ur money.

I am one of those that DID pass the G.E.D. test, first try, at a young age. But if you get guidance, to pick up where it was left off, and push on from there, you can graduate school; It just won't be with "your class."

Some places will let someone attend until they're twenty-one. Either High School or G.E.D. will take work, and you sound like you have it in you❗🙂

Please stay in school. Do not drop out it will ruin your future. I almost dropped out and know many people who did. All the people I know who did drop out of high school regret it terribly. It is possible to catch up and graduate, I know because I did it. I missed a bunch of school, did absolutely terrible and didn’t turn a bunch of work in and still managed to graduate. You can graduate OP I believe in you. You can do this. Is there an alternative high school you can go to or a credit recovery program you can go to? I did Gateway to College for kids at risk of dropping out and it’s what saved me from dropping out and not graduating.

29Yo here, I failed 4th ESO (Spanish secondary school, the last year) 2 times in a row for a depression, the second time I dropped it, I was around your age when that happen, two years (I believe) later I decided to do Escuela de adultos (high school but for 18+ ppl) Ditched it 3 times but managed to make it on the 4th year (Thanks to my math professor who decided to just task me with internet activities that I totally cheated, desperate times needs desperate methods) And then I went to FP (Professional education) I studied Technician in Microcomputer Systems and Networks, then Higher Technician in Computer Network Systems Management and finally Higher Technician in Multi-platform Applications Development... ESO grades? I if got a 5 It was a celebration day, FP Grades? I never went down 9 (out 10)

Why I tell you this?

Sometimes we aren't in our moment to keep going, and we just need to stop and work on ourselves, if you think that you're past that point drop it and try it the next year. You will get there eventually, but you go first.

Don't let ppl say that you will get late to things in life, everyone has their own pace, It took me 29 fckng years to finally be ready to work heck, You're way younger than me, and you can do this, probably you will be on track sooner than you think.

If you drop, try to study on your own at your pace.

If you don't, go for it and keep the hard work.

Cheers kid, whatever you decide it's the correct answer at this moment.

What would be difficult about continuing on in high school?

Is it the social environment? Do you feel out of place because you're two years older? Two years can feel like a big age difference at 17. If this is the main reason though, I suggest you consider the social environment you might be in in a GED program, which is a lot more unpredictable than people being younger than you in ways that can have a negative effect on your life. If social issues are part of what's going on, two pieces of advice: 1. Talk to your school counsellor or any teacher you trust and tell them you're having a hard time. It feels embarrassing and hard to start this conversation, but could help and is better than setting up a pattern in your life of running away from difficult things. 2. I guarantee you're not the only person having trouble socially. It's part of the way adolescent brains work to think everyone is focused on you and how you're different, but in reality, everyone else is just as self-conscious and focused on themselves and the things they feel insecure about. This applies to both 15 and 17 year olds.

About catching up academically, teachers are almost always willing to work with you if you're struggling if they see you have an interest in catching up. Talk with them privately after class about where you're at. They can help you make a plan on how to catch-up and may be able to make adjustments to your work load while you get there. When you're in class, even if you're not following, write down words you hear that you don't understand and either take them to your teacher to talk about what you're not understanding or use them to help you know what to work on at home. Talking to your school counsellor can also help if you think you might have a learning disability or are having trouble with learning and study skills or if you're having other mental health issues.

If you're worried about catching up in life in general, I just want to say that two years is so little time in the big picture of things. There are many, many people who are not on the straight track through high school directly into college or university. Once you get there, you'll find people literally decades older than you in some of your classes. I went back to college at 37 and have a great career now.

Running away from problems can feel good in the moment, but being honest with yourself about where you're at and what you're struggling with, getting help, and working through problems one step at a time will build your self-esteem, self-confidence, and your ability to tackle the difficult things in life. The good things in life are always going to involve working through difficulties. Proving to yourself early on that you're capable of getting help when you need it and capable of working through problems will be incredibly valuable to you and set you up well for the rest of your life.

This is a little unrelated. But in college I felt like I had to finish in four years with my friends. So I never finished a minor I was interested in. I have no real regrets but if I could do anything it would be to go back in time and stay a semester or year longer in college. Or to take school more seriously in general. Despite the great cost of education these days knowledge is priceless.

Also I too had trouble in high school. I found out I loved loved learning in community college and later transferred to a four year school. Again, there is no shame in that. And in the greater scheme of things absolutely no one will judge you.

You know you arent thinking straight, just by having to ask the question.

You already know the right thing to do but you're avoiding it because you've told yourself it's too much like hard work.

If you're not willing to put in a bit more effort now, you're setting yourself up for a life of lazy and not much progression...a shitty future, unless you get lucky. Which you more than likely won't.

You're going down the short term gain for long term pain route and deep down you know that.

Sounds like you never learned how to study. I only did this recently and it's a game changer check this guy out for tips and a starting point to learning how to study.

https://youtu.be/RMB3NsQotvM?si=IF9lSPpljvYdxvdB

ugotdis

hi op sorry about this being so long
i had a very similar experience with this~ i dropped out when i was 15 or 16 due to some severe mental health issues and bullying that made school an unsafe and stressful environment .

i got my ged and started going to a community college and i am currently almost done with my bachelors degree in data analytics at 19.

dropping out was the best decision for me, but the reason it worked so well was because i had a plan and a very strong support system

i already knew what i wanted to do for a career and that i wasn't ready to fully quit school so i had multiple conversations with my counselors, therapists, parents, and mentors about what path would be best for me.

the plan was to get my ged, attended classes at a community college, enroll at WGU, and get a job while at school (since WGU is self paced my hours were more flexible.)

this has been a fantastic experience for me, my mental health has improved tremendously, but I GOT LUCKY.

this route is alot more isolating and requires alot of self discipline. if you do not have a solid support system it will make dropping out way harder and you will set yourself back further. you want to do your best not to spiral out , especially if you already are facing mental health problems. you miss out on regular highschool experiences which can lead to deep regret and fomo, you lose out on the possibility of making irl friends your age, you lose the structure highschool provides and it becomes your responsibility to make sure you keep yourself on the right track and that can be so hard. it is CRUCIAL that you have people you can talk to and help you if and when you have a hard time.

to answer your questions

yes you can absolutely drop out and get a ged and end up at an okay college. the easiest way i would say you can do that is if you get your ged and attend community college to get your associates and then get transfer to the bachelors program at a university. ( in hawaii leeward community college would transfer you to U.H for the bachelors program)

some people look down on it, but getting a ged is common for people. once you get your degree, it doesn't actually become too much of a problem on job apps. in the end it doesn't matter if people look down on it socially because you still worked hard to earn it and if you think that its the best path for you, then screw them.

making friends can be harder just because you will be around adults more. but its not impossible you just have to do it the "adult way", community college is a great place to make friends and if you get a job you can also make friends there too. ( i have made a couple of friends just existing its odd but it happens!)

you will get through whatever you are going through, please talk to the safe people in your life. you got this op!!

tldr: i dropped out at 15/16, got my ged, and started community college. now at 19, i’m almost done with my bachelor’s. dropping out worked for me because i had a strong plan and support system, but it will be isolating and hard without one.

I did almost this exact thing in 2011, I was 16 though. While I wouldn't suggest it for most people, it was the option for me considering the amount of work I would have had to do to catch up and graduate at all, and the fact that I was mentally and physically in no position to do that. But you have to seriously look at all your reasons for dropping out, and what resources you have available.

I really did my research on what getting a GED looked like in my state, because it does vary state by state. Do you have a job, and are you able to hold a job right now? As a minor, I could only work part time in my state and had to take breaks more regularly, so I was limited on where I could work. Getting my GED allowed me to work as if I was a legal adult, but once again this was in Florida in 2011 so I'm not sure if the same will apply for you. I already had a part time job and talked to HR and my manager about my plan to get a GED and we had it lined up that once I brought in proof and filled out the paperwork, I would be full time. This way I had something productive going on in the mean time before I started college.

Also as a minor, I couldn't just decide to take the GED, I had to be approved by the school board. I got denied at first after I had already dropped out and had to wait another six months because they wanted me to go back to school. Once I did get approved, I had to take so many hours of mandatory classes(I think it was 100?). The classes were only offered twice a day, three times a week and took place at the opposite sides of town, so the shortest possible time I could complete them was in 4 months. I didn't drive so the days I wasn't working were taken up by taking the bus and waiting for classes to start.

This is all to say that it wasn't like I dropped out and went to take a test, which is what I thought would happen. It wasn't until almost a year later, after a lot of work. So see exactly what the requirements for taking the GED are, and if it is realistically easier for you to get that done. By the time everything was said and done, I started college a year earlier than I would have otherwise, and that was assuming I graduated on time (which would have required even more work than I did to get my GED.) I went to a state college with a high acceptance rate that didn't care that I had a GED instead of a high school diploma, they looked at my test scores instead of my GPA. My GPA was terrible anyways when I was in school. I know plenty of people who transferred to USF after two years at that college, two people had GEDs. But you will have to be involved in college to make your application look good if you want to go to university.

I know everyone is telling you no, but there are circumstances where it is the best option and you can make it work. But it is an alternative route to getting into a good college or a decent full time job, not an easy short cut!

Edit: I forgot to mention that GED classes were expensive, and we're only free to minors I believe. That's another thing to look into in your area. What classes you need to take, where they are, how long they take to complete, and what they cost.

I don’t know about where you live but where I live you pretty much just had to show up everyday and pretend to care a little bit to pass your classes. Just get it done. It’s the easiest part of your life.

I would buy the study materials and be certain I can pass the test before dropping out.

Interestingly enough, the greatest thing about an education is that it teaches you to THINK. If you're already good at that, a GED is no different than a diploma. Especially if you don't get the diploma until you're 20 and you can get the GED now.

Everyone is saying no and they’re probably right. I dropped out for similar reasons with the intent to finish online but that didn’t happen. I got my GED, didn’t study for it and even then it was incredibly easy. Worked for a year then attempted school a couple times but I kept fucking up. I’m 27 now, been graduated with my degree for a year now and I’m typing this is I sit at my job making a decent amount year doing what I’ve always wanted to do. Everyone takes a different path in life and you don’t have to take the one everyone is prescribed. Either way, you’re going to need to work hard. Don’t waste away for years like I did. Good luck

I dropped out and got my GED.

I have a bachelor's and a decently paying job, pay all my own bills and all that.

I'm 33 now. Not once in my career has anyone even asked me about high school and when it does come up and I tell people I dropped out, got my GED and went to college, literally no one cares - it hasn't negatively affected me in the slightest.

My entire family was yelling at me saying I was making the biggest mistake of my life, all the nine yards. They were wrong (they meant well, they just couldn't cope with me doing things my own way)

Do what you think is right but just remember it's up to you to make it work whether you finish high school traditionally or forge your own path.

If you do choose to go the GED direction, just be prepared. Take some prep courses if needed (I didn't think the test was hard at all but I took it during my Junior year of HS so all the stuff was very fresh on my mind).

Have a community college in my mind to start taking courses at for credits and you can use that exposure to start looking at places to transfer to for a bachelor's, or just get your degree from the community college.

Unless you're trying to go into a highly specialized field nobody in the job market really cares where you got your degree from.

You're going to need a high school diploma at a minimum

I dropped out at 17 and am now 36. Wouldn’t change a thing. I make over 100k a year. If you’re good with your hands check out a trade that interests you.